10 replies to this topic

[marktmurphy]

Well, well, well; apparently the title isn't just cobbled together from other Bond titles, its got literary origins. Not being a cultured soul I was forced to realise this from a letter sent into Doctor Who Magazine by Jim Smith, author of 'The Bond Films'. I'll let him do the talking as he obviously knows far more about it than me.
"The title is derived from the work of the poet A E Housman, whose signature collection, A Shropshire Lad (1896), contains the verse 'LVI. Far I Hear The Bugle Blow- The Day of Battle', which itself contains a discussion of whether dying in battle is a worthwhile thing to do. At the suggestion that it might be better to run away, the poem points out that someone who
'runs away
Lives to die another day'
The appropriation of Housman's ambivalent sentiments suggests that the producers are keen to explore areas of ambiguity within the Bond character, and question his motivations."

[Blofeld's Cat]

Ah, confirmation at last.

When the title was first announced everyone was furiously conducting internet searches to find any references to the phrase 'die another day." A few of our bloodhounds did indeed track down the A. E. Housman work.

Can't remember which thread it was in, but a forum search should find it.

[Loomis]

I'm not 100% on this, but isn't the line "he who fights and runs away, lives to FIGHT another day"? Someone please check this out.

[JimmyBond]

I could be wrong, but I think you may be thinking of a different poem...or phrase.

[Loomis]

Well, of course Bond titles do tend to be twists on well-known phrases, for example people used to say "you only live once" and "live and let live".

[Mourning Becomes Electra]

Lives to FIGHT another day is I believe from from The Prisoner of Zenda

And from the TV series Maverick it's: He who fights and runs away lives to RUN another day.

Lives to DIE another day is from the Housman poem

"Comrade, if to turn and fly
Made a soldier never die,
Fly I would, for who would not?
'Tis sure no pleasure to be shot.

"But since the man that runs away
Lives to die another day,
And cowards' funerals, when they come,
Are not wept so well at home,

"Therefore, though the best is bad,
Stand and do the best, my lad;
Stand and fight and see your slain,
And take the bullet in your brain."
-- A. E. Housman, "The Day of Battle"

[Loomis]

Well, that clears that one up.

[marktmurphy]

Does this mean jamesbonddoubleoseven is going to 'run away' in the new film?

[JimmyBond]

I dont think the title is referring to Bond.

[zencat]

Yes, I read this on MI6 this morning.

I always liked this title and now I like it even more. It seems like a title Fleming would have used.

[marktmurphy]

When I was going through my 'getting used to the new title' phase a few months back, I couldn't help but see it written down and think it was a german film's title. You know; a sentence that begins with 'Die' is usually german. Anyone else? Just me?